South Bay Connect draws strong opposition in Hayward as Capitol Corridor outlines plan to move service off Nile Subdivision

The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority presented its South Bay Connect project to the Hayward City Council on Jan. 28, describing a proposal to relocate service from the current Niles Subdivision to the Coast Subdivision and to build a new Ardenwood station. Capitol Corridor staff said the route change would improve reliability and reduce congestion between Oakland and San Jose, but would mean Capitol Corridor trains would no longer serve Hayward and Fremont Centerville stations on the Nile Subdivision.

Managing Director Rob Padgett and project lead Shirley Chin outlined the project’s goals and timeline, saying the Final Environmental Impact Report was approved by the CCJPA board in November 2024 and that the project remains in preliminary design pending Union Pacific review and potential federal funding and NEPA clearance. Chin described the preferred alternative in the EIR as including replacement and augmentation of approximately 17 miles of track on the Coast Subdivision, improvements to grade crossings and bridges, and a new Ardenwood station adjacent to an existing Ardenwood park-and-ride.

Public comment and council reactions were sharply critical. Riders who use the Hayward Amtrak/Capitol Corridor stop described it as convenient, safe and increasingly well-used; commenters asked CCJPA staff to reconsider closing Hayward or to include a new Hayward station on the Coast route. Former Hayward Mayor Barbara Halliday, BART Director Liz Ames and local residents raised concerns about equity, shoreline and wetland impacts, freight-train interactions, sea-level rise vulnerability and economic and planning impacts to Hayward’s downtown and transit-oriented development areas.

Council members said the plan would remove an important transit amenity from Hayward and disproportionately affect lower-income residents who rely on the station. Several council members urged the CCJPA to consider alternatives, including improved service on the current alignment, reinvestment to grow ridership, or an Ardenwood/Coast-subdivision stop in Hayward’s industrial area. Council members also asked how the CCJPA would coordinate connections with BART, how maritime and freight operations would be affected, and what community benefits might be offered if Hayward loses direct service.

Project status and next steps: CCJPA staff said further federal funding and NEPA compliance would be required to move forward, and that the project is not yet fully funded or designed. Staff noted they are continuing stakeholder engagement and that the EIR found impacts could be mitigated to less-than-significant levels with proposed measures; they also said the operational details are subject to Union Pacific approval.

Ending: The item was a work session and not a formal council decision. Council members and several residents urged sustained engagement and asked CCJPA to reconsider aspects of the preferred alternative; CCJPA staff said they will continue project design and public outreach.